Gregoria Tumbling Out of China Open 2024

Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Indonesia’s bright star in women’s single badminton, had to face a disappointing early exit from the China Open 2024. Facing off against Malvika Bansod of India, Gregoria succumbed to a 24-26, 19-21 defeat in the opening round.

Disappointing Performance Following Olympics

The loss marks a continuation of a slow start for Gregoria since her participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Even before the China Open, she struggled to find her footing in the Hong Kong Open 2024, crashing out in the round of 16.

Gregoria admitted to not being at her best during the match. She believes she hasn’t fully recaptured the peak form she displayed before the Olympics and expressed her disappointment with the results and performance in her post-match interview.

"Today, I didn’t show my best performance. I should have played better than what I showed today," Gregoria shared in a written statement released by Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI). "This loss is a wake-up call for me. In the two tournaments following the Olympics, the results and performance haven’t been what I desired."

Bansod’s Dominance

The match against Bansod saw Gregoria initially lead 3-1 in the first game. However, she quickly lost momentum, falling behind 6-14. While she managed to rally and push the game into deuce on several occasions, Bansod ultimately secured the first game with a 26-24 victory.

The momentum continued into the second game, with Bansod dominating the court from the start. She led 11-3 at the interval and maintained her lead, ultimately winning the game and the match 21-19.

Gregoria found herself struggling to keep up with Bansod’s quick pace.

"My biggest struggle today was my slow movement. In the rallies, I was simply following the rhythm of my opponent, who was playing with confidence. This made my own game uncomfortable. Moreover, I wasn’t able to initiate any attacks," Gregoria acknowledged.

Glimmers of Hope and Looking Ahead

Despite the disappointing results, Gregoria found some positives in her performance, particularly her resilience and determination to fight until the end.

"I could still keep pushing to catch up, but unfortunately, I couldn’t finish it off at the end," Gregoria reflected.

With Gregoria’s exit, Indonesia now has no remaining representatives in the women’s singles category. However, there is still hope from other sectors, as four Indonesian pairs, including the mixed doubles duo of Dejan Ferdinansyah/ Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja, are vying for a spot in the round of 16 of the China Open 2024.